


Valentina and the FFKKR

by azriona



Series: The Next Level 'Verse [4]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 08:19:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17076719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azriona/pseuds/azriona
Summary: Here is the conversation Valentina had with Feodor, her co-worker at the main FFKKR offices, in Chapter 32 of The Next Level.





	Valentina and the FFKKR

** Valentina and the FFKKR **

A/N: This is the conversation that Valentina has over the phone with her supervisor, Feodor, of the FFKKR. (That’s the Russian Skating Federation, btw.) Yuuri only hears the last part, but I wrote out the whole thing.

VALENTINA – Maratovna.

FEODOR – Valentina, this is Feodor.

VALENTINA – Feodor! I was going to call you. I need to talk to you about the ice show with Yagudin. He’s back to refusing—

FEODOR – He’ll give in, he always does. I want to hear about Victor Nikiforov.

VALENTINA – He only returned to practice half an hour ago, I haven’t even since him since he returned from Gangneung.

FEODOR – The interview with Katsuki and Nikiforov is airing tomorrow. The ISU is demanding that we provide them with our list of competitors for Worlds. You know we want to announce it after the interview.

VALENTINA – Yes, I know—

FEODOR – Can he skate or not?

VALENTINA – Are you actually asking if Victor Nikiforov can _skate_?

FEODOR – Valentina.

VALENTINA – Of course he can skate. I told you, his short program is marvelous. Entirely on par with what he has always given us.

FEODOR – And his free?

VALENTINA – (silence)

FEODOR – Valentina. His free.

VALENTINA – It’s fine. I’ve seen parts of it. He doesn’t have the final music yet.

FEODOR – (deep sigh) I don’t know.

VALENTINA – He has six weeks, Feodor. He’ll be ready.

FEODOR – What proof do you have of that?!? He wasn’t ready for Nationals, he wasn’t ready for Europeans, he’s just spend the last week in South Korea coaching a no-name skater from Japan!

VALENTINA – May I remind you that _you_ are the one who insisted Victor drop his own training before they left to focus on Katsuki’s programs? Katsuki isn’t a no-name skater, Feodor. He’s the Japanese national champion and he took _silver_ in Gangneung!

FEODOR – He’s not Russian! That’s my point. He has his programs, Victor should be concentrating on his own and preparing for Worlds. Instead you send him on holiday—

VALENTINA – _Holiday_?

FEODOR – What happens if we send him to Worlds and he isn’t ready? He’ll make a fool of the FFKK, Valentina. He’ll make a fool of _you_ , and of _me_ , and of the entire Russian skating program. It is _your_ job to make sure he’s ready, and you tell me he doesn’t even have his music six weeks before Worlds?

VALENTINA – I am doing the best—

FEODOR – Can he land the quad flip?

VALENTINA – I—

FEODOR – It’s a yes or no question, Valentina! Can. He. Land—

VALENTINA – Yes! Of course he can! I’ve seen him do it dozens of times!

FEODOR – In the last week?

VALENTINA – Of course not in the last week, he’s been traveling.

FEODOR – Wasn’t he practicing? Sending the video back to Yakov?

VALENTINA – Even if he was, I wouldn’t have been able to view the footage.

FEODOR – Even if he… what sort of operation are you running up there, Valentina? Victor isn’t Evgeni! You know he has single focus vision, and if he’s not concentrating on practice then it’s as good as not practicing at all! And you send him off to South Korea unsupervised for a week? Did he even get on the ice _once_?

VALENTINA – I tend to give Victor a great deal more credit than you do, Feodor. Look what happened the last time we demanded everything from him – he quit skating and ran off to Japan. We’re lucky that Katsuki renewed his interest in skating at all, or he wouldn’t even be here now.

FEODOR – So you think letting him do as he likes is the solution?

VALENTINA – I think constant pressure to perform at the highest level is what drove him away in the first place. You don’t know Victor. I have been watching his training for the last eight years. I made sure he was ready for the international stage, and it was under my eyes that he became the five-time world champion – not yours, Feodor. Trust me. The Victor who returned from Japan is not the same one who left.  If we treat him as we did before, we are going to lose him entirely.

FEODOR – Then I certainly hope your faith in him is not challenged. I need confirmation that his free program is ready for competition, or he will not be going to Worlds.

VALENTINA – He’s going to be ready.

FEODOR – Are you sure.

VALENTINA – He _will_ be ready! Don’t you dare sell Victor Nikiforov up the river, Feodor – don’t you dare assume that he has anything less than his entire heart in the skating he is doing now. If you _don’t_ send him to Boston you are making a _grave_ mistake.

FEODOR – And if he does not prove you right, it’s you who are making the mistake. Confirmation before tomorrow night that he is ready for Boston, Valentina.

VALENTINA – What do you think I’m giving you, Feodor?

FEODOR – What do _you_ think will happen if we put Victor’s name on the roster? The ISU has been calling me night and day asking for confirmation that he’s returning. The moment we can confirm it, they’ll raise more money in advertising and sponsorships in a single week than they have in the last three months. Tickets will start flying out of the box office; television networks will be fighting for airing rights! We are talking _millions_ , if not _billions_ of rubles – dollars – euros – every currency in the world! And after all that money is spent – and Victor does not go? Who do you think will be blamed? Do you think it will be him, the golden child, the living legend? Do you think it will be Katsuki, who has everyone’s heart in the palm of his hand? No! It will be _us_ , Valentina – not even just you, or just me. _Us_. So you’ll forgive me if I don’t take you word for it. Until Victor Nikiforov has his music and his flip, I don’t want to hear that he is ready for Boston. This is not a game. Stop treating it like one.

VALENTINA – I understand.

FEODOR – Tell Yagudin whatever you need to tell him to make him happy. Or not. I expect your call by tomorrow at 4pm.


End file.
